Fulbright Mid-Year Conference November 2022
The Unforgettable Experience
Marriott Marquis • Washington, DC
Representing Morocco and building bridges through language, culture, and pedagogical innovation.
The experience and the people you meet along the way make The Fulbright Program the most diverse, prestigious, and rewarding international educational exchange program in the world! I had the pleasure to represent Morocco during the mid-year conference held in Washington D.C. Throughout the four days, Fulbright FLTAs from around the U.S. participated in and attended diverse presentations, workshops, and speeches that highlighted topics related to language teaching and cultural exchange.
The first day of our arrival at the hotel was amazing. During check-in at the lobby, you could meet Fulbrighters coming from all around the globe. I got the chance to connect with scholars from India, Tanzania, Turkey, Tunisia, France, and many other countries. Everybody got along remarkably well, and we were already coordinating plans and activities to explore D.C. together during our stay.
The second day was packed with presentations centered on language teaching methodologies, concluding with preparation for the cultural fair. It served as an invaluable platform to discuss pronunciation pedagogy and best practices for interactive learning:
- Using Psycholinguistics to Teach Pronunciation: Delivered by Dr. Robin C. Barr (American University linguistics faculty since 1996), offering deep insights on cognitive sound processing.
- Best Practices for Interactive Learning: A breakout session centered on student-centered classrooms. I shared my classroom experiences utilizing activities designed to sharpen critical thinking, referencing insights from Where Great Teaching Begins by Anne R. Reeves.
- Get Them Speaking! Motivating Learners Through Helpful Self-Assessment: Led by Dr. Paula Winke (Michigan State University), analyzing two repeatable classroom oral assessments to chart speaking development over time.
The third day was a showcase for selected FLTAs to present their topics of choice. I was in Group 2, joining fellow FLTA scholars sharing innovative instructional strategies that they tested in their U.S. host universities:
Striking the Class with the Use of Authentic Materials!
Presented by Ms. Paula Ferrer
Re-Imagining Canon for Class: Teaching Language Through Fandoms
Presented by Gülcan Irmak Aslanoğlu
Photovoice and Dialogues: Voices for Learners’ Filipinoness
Presented by Maico Demi Aperocho
Culture Anchors in the Target Language Classroom
Presented by Soumaia Abunada
The conference concluded with an energetic Cultural Fair hosting over 20 selected countries showcasing their unique cultural heritage, artifacts, and language traditions. I seized every moment to learn about diverse global perspectives, exchange cultural accessories, and forge lasting bonds that truly reflect the foundational mission of the Fulbright Program.
Cultural fair exchanges and international FLTA cohort.
Engaging in pedagogical discussions and networking.